Pirates GM Explains Decision Behind Unexpected Pitcher Trade
The Pittsburgh Pirates’ general manager discussed the reasoning behind trading away a starting pitcher.
PITTSBURGH — The Pirates made a surprising move at the trade deadline, sending one of their top starting pitchers to another team. Left-hander Bailey Falter was traded to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for two prospects: left-handed reliever Evan Sisk and first baseman Callan Moss. 
Falter had an impressive season with the Pirates in 2025, posting a 7-5 record across 22 starts, a 3.73 ERA in 113.1 innings, with 70 strikeouts, 39 walks, a .232 opponent batting average, and a 1.18 WHIP. His standout performance came in May, where he went 3-0 in six starts, registering a 0.76 ERA over 35.2 innings, 19 strikeouts, 13 walks, a .147 opponent batting average, and a 0.84 WHIP.
After re-signing for $2.2 million this season, Falter has three years of arbitration eligibility before hitting free agency in 2029.
The Pirates opted to trade Falter, keeping right-handed pitchers Paul Skenes (an All-Star), veteran Mitch Keller, and rookie Mike Burrows. They also retained left-handed pitcher Andrew Heaney, whose contract is set to expire.
General Manager Ben Cherington explained that the team had already been considering trading a starting pitcher in order to open a rotation spot for younger talent, as well as to make room for the return of right-hander Johan Oviedo, who’s recovering from Tommy John surgery.
“We felt good about the players we got in return for Bailey,” Cherington said. “Looking ahead to 2026, we wanted to evaluate which starters in the organization had the best potential to be part of that rotation and give them the best chance to prepare. We’ve got other guys like Oviedo and Michael Burrows, who are already getting starts. We want to set them up for 2026, and we felt the trade made sense in that context.”
Sisk, a 28-year-old left-hander, has made five appearances for the Royals this season but spent most of his career in the minors. Currently with Triple-A Indianapolis, Cherington sees potential for Sisk to become a major league pitcher.
“This is a left-handed pitcher we’ve had our eye on for a while,” Cherington said. “We believe he’s got a future in the majors.”
Moss, a 21-year-old first baseman, spent the entire season with High-A before being traded to Greensboro. He had a strong offensive showing, posting a .270/.372/.418 slash line with an OPS of .790 over 92 games with High-A Quad City.
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